Looking for a way to shock your friends this Super Bowl? Serve this Lentil Pâté instead of wings! I’m positive this is what Peyton Manning eats before every game. Also, enjoy my own personal creation of Super Bowl Bingo. There are 10 cards here for you and your pâté-loving pals. Cheers!

Lentil Pâté from Skinny Dish!

Lentil Pâté
Makes 10 (¼-cup) servings
Prep time: 10 minutes

Spread this tangy pâté on Sesame Melba Rounds, toasted baguette slices, or pipe it into hollowed-out cherry tomatoes or steamed and hollowed-out Brussels sprouts. It even works well as a sandwich spread. Heck, eat it right off the spoon for breakfast. You only live once!

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Calling all ladies of the lettuce and men of the maca! Join us as we celebrate 2014 by saying good riddance to the lingering goo of 2013 and hello to more energy, clarity, and green supremacy in the New Year. The Skinny Dish 7-Day Detox will start—rain or shine—on Monday, January 6th. Make room in your fridge, stock up using the shopping list, and warm up your Vitamix. It’s time give your body a real party!

Look forward to new quick recipes, tips, and a long-term plan that will keep you detoxified all year long. See you Monday! xoxo

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Hate to admit it, but sweet potato mush is the one thing I continue to pass at the Thanksgiving feast. Even with its beta-carotene-rich orange goodness, it just doesn’t tickle my tofu.

Until now.

Determined to one day fall in love with denture-friendly sweet potatoes (of course sweet potato fries have always been a favorite), and inspired by Kathy’s Famous Sweet Potato Mash, it has happened. I am in love with this sweet potato mush!

My version has fewer ingredients than Kathy’s, but please check hers out. Her photos are profesh and her ingredient combos (in this recipe and others) are uniquely gut-pleasing. I don’t know if it’s the garlic hummus, the fresh garlic, the raw onion, or the parsley, but this is definitely a must-try. Hello, Thanksgiving, and hello, orange taters!

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Of course YOU will survive the Superbowl, but what about your pants? Will they have to take a temporary hiatus in the back of the closet after tonight? To the snackinizer! Here are consumptionaries that will keep your lower half in it’s post-holiday / pre-Superbowl position:

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I could be Charles. I’ve already had and thoroughly enjoyed several Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes this year (decaf, soy, no whip, SO good). Especially as a past Starbucks barista who got free drinks “for taste-testing” ’round the clock, it’s hard to justify spending too much cashola on a coffee drink–even the Pumpkin Spice Latte. So, I’ve created my own version–much cheaper, and highly more convenient if you have a craving while at home. And no espresso machine needed!

Brew coffee. While coffee is brewing, heat milk, pumpkin butter or apple butter (or pumpkin purée plus sugar), and spice(s) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir vigorously with a whisk until ingredients are evenly mixed and it starts to bubble. Pour coffee and milk mixture into a large mug. Pull out your laptop, turn on some jazz, sip the latte, and enjoy the moment. A true coffee shop experience!

This meatless meatloaf was adapted from the “Ultimate Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf” by Angela Liddon, MA, of the popular OhSheGlows.com, and she was inspired by Terry Walters “Clean Food” cookbook. It fills the comfort-food category with high marks, and makes a dandy partner for Sesame Greens. The ingredient list looks a little daunting, but it’s actually simple to prepare, and is well worth any extra effort. You’ll just wish you had made 2 loaves!

3 Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and sauté onion, garlic, and carrot until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add shredded apple, raisins, salt, thyme, pepper, and walnuts crumbled by hand into the skillet, and sauté another 2 minutes. Pour mixture into the mixing bowl with flaxseed meal and water mixture.

4 Process bread into breadcrumbs, and then add to the mixing bowl.

5 Process lentils so that ¾ of them are blended smooth, leaving some whole lentils. Add to mixing bowl along with additional tablespoon of flaxseed meal. Stir together. Taste test the mixture now… aren’t you excited for the finished product?!

6 Press firmly into a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan. Top with barbeque sauce, spreading it evenly over the loaf.

7 Bake for 45 minutes, and then let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

8 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

My husband who isn’t much of a fan of “boring” sweet potatoes, finds this version surprisingly light, tangy, and completely unboring. Forget the marshmallow and sweetness of traditional Thanksgiving sweet potatoes and go sour and spicy!

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Looking for a fatback-free (and back-fat free) greens dish to go with your big meal next Thursday? Here’s my FAVORITE, straight out of Skinny Dish! Stay tuned this weekend for more stellar Thanksgiving recipes your body will thank you for. (And don’t forget the incredible pumpkin pie from last month…)

SESAME GREENSMakes 4 servingsPrep Time: 10 minutes

Dark leafy greens such as mustard greens, turnip greens, and collards are incredible sources of calcium with double the absorption of dairy calcium. And with the Popeye powers associated with eating dark greens, this recipe couldn’t be an easier or tastier way to energize you. Need an extra kick? Enjoy a double serving for just 175 calories!

1 In a large pot, steam carrots and red bell pepper in water and sesame oil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Add greens, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds and cover, continuing to steam for another 5 minutes until greens are tender. Remove from heat.

2 Mix through using a pasta grabber or tongs. Just prior to serving, add soy sauce—it will turn the greens from bright to blah if it sits on them too long.

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What’s left, right? Just a bunch of pumpkin and spices? You got it, and the taste is out of this world!

Here’s last year’s pumpkin tribute post with recipes for Pumpkin-Apple Butter, Mexican Pumpkin Stew, Pumpkin Bread, and a Pumpkin Smoothie. This year, however, I’ve started early to find the BEST tasting pumpkin pie in the universe, while of course remaining healthy, easy, and adequately fit for a galaxy queen. It’s quite possible that I don’t need to test any further. Note that the cashews need to soak for at least 4 hours…

1 Preheat oven to 375° F. 2 In a blender or food processor, blend cookies until they’re crumbs. Add margarine and process until evenly mixed.3 Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round pie pan so the edges come halfway to the top.4 Bake crust for 5 minutes, and let cool completely before adding filling and baking further.

Pie Filling:

1 In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, and spices until well mixed. 2 Once cashews have soaked and are a tad soft, drain the liquid and then blend them in a blender or food processor with coconut milk until soft and fluffy.3 Fold cashew “cream” into pumpkin mixture.4Pour filling into cooled crust and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in the fridge for about 1 hour to solidify the filling before serving.5 Store leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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It was my turn to host my daughter’s playgroup this week, and the kids expect themselves some cookies. Good cookies. So in addition to the zucchini bread (recipe in my Skinny Dish book), hummus plate with Baked Lentil Chips, cherry tomatoes, and carrot discs, strawberry cucumber water (a pitcher of filtered water with strawberry and cucumber slices), sparkling berry lemonade, and white wine on the snack table, I invented a new sugar cookie with help from my friend Betty Crocker.

I had some sugar cookie mix in the pantry which called for 1 stick of softened butter (1/2 cup) and 1 egg. Instead, I added 1 Tbsp softened Earth Balance margarine, 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal gelled with 1/2 cup warm filtered water, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1/4 tsp pure almond extract, and sprinkles. Sure they’re still sugar cookies, but they’ve also got vision-enhancing and cancer-kicking beta-carotene, omega-3 fat- and fiber-rich flaxseed meal, and they’re much lower in fat than Betty intended them to be. And with the almond zing (without the almond allergen) and sprinkles, there’s no need for frosting.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together (except sprinkles) in a bowl and drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet. Top with sprinkles, if using. Bake for 12-14 minutes until very lightly browned. Cool and chow!

Were they good? Were the kids fooled? Lemme just say that the plate of 28 was just crumbs after the 2-hour playgroup, and my 3 yr-old son started crying because he only got one. One 6-yr-old boy said “What are these orange things in here?” I was honest, and he responded with “Well, I can see the carrots, but I can’t taste them. They’re actually good!”